Source: Team_Talk
Pompey deserve new backer - Grant
Avram Grant is crossing his fingers another battling Portsmouth performance in Saturday's FA Cup final can unearth the club a new buyer.[LNB] Although Grant claimed his team deserved to win at Wembley, he was stretching a point somewhat given Chelsea hit the woodwork five times in the first half.[LNB]Nevertheless, the Blues' reaction would have been interesting if Kevin-Prince Boateng had converted his second-half spot-kick, instead of striking a meek effort that Petr Cech had no problem saving.[LNB]Didier Drogba rifled home the winner three minutes later to bring down the curtain on a scarcely-believable Portsmouth season in which they overcame virtually every off-field problem it was possible to throw at them, and still end up in a showpiece final.[LNB]Grant may talk of his desire to remain at Fratton Park, but with debts of £135million and player sales inevitable, the Israeli is unlikely to stick around, with speculation linking him to the vacancy at West Ham.[LNB]But Grant believes the spirit in the Pompey camp should convince a backer to contact administrator Andrew Andronikou with an offer for the club.[LNB]"If anyone doubted whether they should buy this club they have got their answer," he said.[LNB]"It is a good club with great fans, who will stay with this team for many years.[LNB]"I hope someone will come and take this club. If they don't it will be a shame.[LNB]"I have been waiting a long time to see what the future of the club is, if the club wants to do what Newcastle did, keep the players and try everything to continue.[LNB]"I am still waiting - not for long because I need to make a decision. But the club is so important, more important than mine."[LNB]While Grant's optimism is perhaps to be admired, it is hard to see the bulk of the current squad being retained.[LNB]For a start there are players currently on loan who need to go back to their parent clubs. Others, such as keeper David James, are unlikely to hang around when the lure of a job opportunity back in the Premier League is dangled in front of them.[LNB]Yet Grant will go to his grave believing his club have been the victim of a massive injustice, first over the nine-point deduction for going into administration and then the decision to deny them a place in next season's Europa League because they failed to submit entry forms by the cut-off point.[LNB]The counter-argument is that if Portsmouth had not over-spent so massively, they would not have had sufficient quality to reach Saturday's final in the first place.[LNB]"I don't know about that," said Grant.[LNB]"When I came here, these players were already at the club and no one said anything about relegation.[LNB]"Because there were no rules, it allowed people to do what they did with the club. It was wrong. I admit it was wrong.[LNB]"I never said people did the right things. But the fact is we achieved something on the pitch. The players deserve something."[LNB]That a missed penalty should cost his team so dearly was a bitter pill for Grant to swallow just two years after John Terry slipped and missed the spot-kick that would have given Chelsea - then under Grant's guidance - victory in the Champions League final.[LNB]He tried to console Boateng, the third player to miss a penalty in an FA Cup final - John Aldridge and Gary Lineker were the other two, and remarkably Frank Lampard was to become the fourth near the end of Saturday's game - but it was impossible.[LNB]Instead, Grant offered wider words of praise for his entire squad.[LNB]"It is amazing what the players have done," he said.[LNB]"It is something that has even surprised me.[LNB]"Every week we have had a lot of problems. You cannot even imagine what has happened at Portsmouth this season.[LNB]"Sometimes the media create a big story from a small story. This is bigger than you think.[LNB]"I have been coaching since I was 18 and a half and this was one of the most emotional seasons I have ever had."
